Dangerous Fad

[Refoman]

My new job is counter sales at an old-school lumber yard. Last week the owner of a prominent local running shoe store came in. I recognized him and we chatted a bit about running. I told him I was experimenting with"minimal" running and he warned me to be careful and that it is a dangerous fad. He came in yesterday to pick up the things he ordered. He asked about my running and we chatted some more. I told him I was thinking of running in a local half marathon with a ROTC kid from work. He told me that he had run four marathons and that was enough. "Too many 100 mile weeks." I told him that I had taken a rest day--which I take very seriously. He said that was good and then cautioned me that men our age (mid 5os) have to be careful. I got the impression that he was too beat up to do much running anymore. This is interesting because if, as I understand it, he had embraced that "dangerous fad" early on, he would still be running.

 

[scedastic]

Maybe, yeah, but 100 mile weeks, that's still a lot no matter what goes on or off your feet.

Seems like he would remember the days before non light weight running shoes, but the thick shoe thing is so culturally embedded, its hard for home not to see it as obvious fact.

 

[dutchie53]

Yup, the only time I ever got a stress fracture was when I was running 80+ miles per week. That was back in the days when I thought I could still be a contender (in coffins, 30+ years ago). When you get up to high miles per week, it does take its toll no matter what's on your feet.

 

[Neil_D]

100 miles per week is a lot. I wonder if he was just saying that to impress his superiority. He may have only had one week where he managed that distance. I can recall running 70miles per week when I was training for a marathon but that would only be for a few weeks during the year. Back then I would do that distance and have horrendous shin splints as well.

Neil